Onion cleaner and sorter.



No. 887,445. PATENTED MAY 12, 1908. S. S. WAGNER. ONION CLEANER AND SORTER.

APPLICATIO 1 LED DE N I c 2 19M 2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

No. 887,445. PATENTBD MAY 12, 1908. S. S. WAGNER.

ONION CLEANER AND SORTER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2. 1907.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL S. WAGNER, OF LODI, OHIO.

ONION CLEANER AND SORTER.

Application filed December 2, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. WAGNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lodi, in the county of Medina and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Onion Cleaner and Sorter, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning and assorting onions and other vegetables to which it may be also adapted. Its object is to provide a more simple and complete device for the purpose than has been heretofore used, being especially adapted to cleaning and assorting onions, and to polish the same in the process, remove the outer and loose surface portions, and separate the smaller onions from the larger, in one machine.

It consists of the several novel devices and combination of parts set forth hereafter and particularly stated in the claims.

My invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

Referring to these; Figure 1 is a side view of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of my inclined shaking screen ,Fig. 4.- is a view in perspective of a part of the upper front end of the machine, the side casing being removed for better illustration, and showing also the super-posed aprons; Fig. 5 is a detached detail view of the lower triple inclined screen.

In the drawings, A represents the frame of the machine, and B the top sills thereof which are set at a suitable inclination sloping rearwardly. O is shaker screen provided with an open slat bottom which is constructed with slats and sides of any desired size, and in the usual and well known way.

It is suspended upon the inclined sills B between which it is adapted to be agitated both vertically and longitudinally by means of the inclined hangers a a at each end, and is so actuated by means of a pitman rod J connected pivotally to the under side of the shaker screen C and to the crank shaft K to which a suitable fly wheel is attached to regulate the movement.

D D are canvas aprons which are suspended from cross-bars (Z (Z extending across the top of the machine frame. upon" the sills B immediately above the slat bottom of the shaker screen so as to lie flat thereupon. For this purpose two or more aprons may be Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Serial No. 404,862.

employed, and part or all of the slatted surface may be covered, and any desired number of cross-rods may be used as may be required to keep the canvas down in position and properly scour the onions as they pass downward along the slats of the shaker screen.

0 is a secondary screen which is suspended underneath the shaker screen upon cross bars I) b, or, if desired, it may also be agitated longitudinally and vertically in a manner similar to the shaker screen, but I refer to attach it solidly to the frame. To facilitate the gathering together of the smaller onions which fall through the shaker screen, I construct the secondary screen in such a manner as to slope downwardly in three directions to the center of one side of the machine, and there I provide a receptacle II to receive the said smaller onions, and a slide door I thereto.

G is a fan which is adapted to create a draft downwardly through the machine, and to eliminate the loose onion peelings and refuse through the funnel M. E is an elevator having a hopper F and a support R, and may be attached to the front of the machine to deliver the material to the upper end of the shaker screen as shown in F 1g. 1.

L is a belt wheel for driving the machinery by suitable belt or chain gear.

I do not limit myself to the particular form of construction shown nor the particular gearing described, and the same may of course be modified without departing from the spirit of my invention.

It is apparent that the passage of the onions downwardly over the shaker screen in active contact with the super-posed canvas aprons D and the friction thereby on the surface of the onions cleans and polishes the same and also distributes and in connection with' the other described means, separates and stores them for convenient use.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An onion cleaning machine, comprising in combination a supporting frame, an inclined shaker screen having one or more canvas aprons suspended over and along the upper surface of the screen and depending from a stationary support above the moving screen, and means for receiving the smaller onions which fall through said shaker screen, and gathering the same together and delivering the same into a separate receptacle, substantially as set forth. Y

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination With a supporting frame, an inclined shaker screen, adapted to be agitated horizontally underneath one or more canvas aprons depending from a stationary support above the moving screen thereon and in close juxtaposition thereover, means for agitating said shaker screen, a secondary screen located underneath said shaker screen, constructed so as to slope lon itudinally and laterally towards the center of one side of the machine casing, and a receptacle to receive the smaller onions from said secondary screen, substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a supporting frame, an inclined shaker screen mounted on hangers and adapted to be agitated longitudinally and vertically thereon, an apron or aprons suspended above said shaker screen and depending fiatwise thereon from a stationary support over part or all of the upper surface of said screen, means for agitating said shaker screen both longitudinally and vertically, an inferior screen mounted in position to receive the smaller onions from said shaker screen and adapted to be agitated, and a fan for delivering an air blast through said screens, and gearing for actuating said screens and fan substantially as set forth.

4. A vegetable cleaning machine, comprising in combination a supporting frame, an inclined shaker screen having one or more aprons suspended flatWise over and along the upper surface of the screen and parallel therewith, and means for agitating the screen and depending from a stationary support above the moving screen, substantially as set forth;

In Witness whereof I hereunto set my hand.

SAMUEL S. l/VAGNER. In presence 'of HIRAM SWARTZ, HARVEY S. BAKER. 

